[CPProt.net] Death Valley theft ring taken down ; breakup of a major theft ring and recovery of more than 11,000 American Indian artifacts

[MSN and CPProt list (Ton Cremers)]

Death Valley theft ring taken down 
By ROBIN FLINCHUM
PVT 

 
The vast Death Valley and Central Nevada desert might look empty and
unattended, with millions of acres of land and few law enforcement officials
to look after it, but the guardians of its treasures are far from
defenseless. Last week the Secretary of the Department of the Interior
conferred its highest honor on several Bureau of Land Management, National
Park Service and Fish and Wildlife rangers who helped break up one of the
largest archaeological theft operations in the area's history. 

While on a routine patrol in Death Valley National Park in 2001, Ranger Todd
Garrett observed a vehicle parked in an odd location. With a pair of
binoculars he watched from a distance until its owners returned, carrying
two Native American grinding stones. Garrett cited the artifact hunters and
let them go, but something about it bothered him. He brought it to the
attention of his superiors, and they brought to the attention of theirs. 

The subsequent two-year investigation resulted in the breakup of a major
theft ring that had been operating in the American Southwest for 10 years,
and the recovery of more than 11,000 American Indian artifacts from the
Great Basin region, according to the NPS. It also resulted in federal prison
sentences for several of the thieves. 

Former Death Valley archaeologist Tim Canaday was among those recognized by
the DOI with its Department of Interior Conservation Service Award for his
part in the investigation.

And the small, independent local organizations are not without their own
resources for combating the robbery of their community memories and
treasures. Next month, some 20 regional museums and historical societies
from counties all around Death Valley National Park will gather to put their
collective heads together and tighten security.

After the devastating Christmas day theft of valuable American Indian
artifacts and antique dolls from a small community museum in Daggett,
Calif., near Barstow, word spread quickly among other local museums and
historical societies. When the information reached Kari Coughlin, Director
of the Shoshone Museum in Shoshone, 20 miles west of Pahrump, it occurred to
her that alone, her museum was somewhat vulnerable. But if she joined forces
with others in the same boat - small community organizations with a lot of
enthusiasm but very little money - they could come up with ideas that would
help them all get stronger. 

Coughlin is organizing a meeting to be held probably in early March, she
said. Representatives from nearly 20 historical societies and museums from
San Bernardino, Inyo, Kern, Nye and Esmeralda counties have expressed
interest in attending. "We're hoping to bring in a speaker from the FBI, an
alarm consultant, and other experts," Coughlin said. "This will also give us
a chance to discuss other issues of interest to us all and collaborate on
regional projects."

The Daggett theft motivated several local museums to improve their security
measures. Terry Baldino, spokesman for the Death Valley National Park
Service, said the NPS finally installed an additional alarm on its museum.
"We'd been talking about it for years but that reminded us to just get it
done." 

The Shoshone Museum took down a display of antique dolls and returned them
to their owners ahead of schedule, since the Daggett thieves had included
dolls on their "shopping list/

Shoshone also removed several other valuable items to more secure storage
facilities, and has posted in prominent locations photos of suspected museum
thieves Coughlin received via the Internet.

Harry Ford of the Pahrump Valley Historical Society and Museum said he has
not taken any additional precautions because the Pahrump building was
already outfitted with a strong security system. "It has a really loud alarm
that isn't connected to the electricity. It alerts the alarm company, but
it's also loud enough to wake me up at my house not far away." If someone
breaks into the museum, Ford said, he'd know about it.

Even so, Ford said he would attend the museum security consortium meeting
when a date is set. "Two heads are always better than one. I'm interested in
learning what other people are doing," he said.

In Daggett, the museum is now only giving tours by appointment. Museum
Director Leslie Lloyd said she believed the thieves had visited the museum
beforehand and made detailed observations of its security system. 

"They cut the phone wires and sprayed foam insulation over what they thought
were motion sensors," Lloyd said. Ironically, the small museum's alarm
system was not even activated at the time. The thieves made away with
several valuable Indian baskets and pieces of pottery, one of which was
valued at $3,500, Lloyd said. They also cleaned 19 antique or collectable
dolls out of a display case containing a total of 28. 

"They knew what they wanted," Lloyd said. Other stolen items included a
Navajo ceremonial sash and some pocket change from Lloyd's desk, as well as
a case of points and spearheads.

A detailed list of the stolen items is available from the Daggett Museum and
has been reported to an organization called Antique Tribal Arts Dealers,
Lloyd said.

For more information about the Museum Security Consortium, contact Kari
Coughlin at (760) 852-4414.

http://www.pahrumpvalleytimes.com/